Psychodynamic Counselling

Pyschodynamic counselling is an established form of counselling that explores and seeks to change the unconscious patterns that are causing difficulties in your life. It was borne of the 'father of the unconscious' Sigmund Freud, although it has developed a long way since.

Many of our ways of relating to others are learned from our earliest infancy through childhood (normally with our Mums and Dads), and sometimes these patterns of how we interact with others can get in the way of achieving our potential as adults.  However, because they are unconscious, we can't see them.

Counselling with me psychodynamically is informed by the feelings we experience in the room which can lead the way to healing.  However, I also am mindful of the reality of your external world and our work may also involve listening, reflecting and coaching.​

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the unconscious mind

Our unconscious cannot be seen by us, but it is very real, guiding our decisions in life all the time.  

Imagine a fully laden supertanker, with most of the mass of the ship below the waterline.  If we were that ship, our unconscious may be the hull under the water, including the rudder which steers us.

A psychodynamic counsellor can help notice and explore your unconscious patterns and when you are ready help you to see them for yourself.  This can be deeply powerful as it promotes self-understanding, healing and positive change in your life.

time limited work

Typically 6-18 sessions in length, a course of short term counselling may be very helpful in exploring a particular dilemma or anxiety, or area of concern in any area of your life.  Indeed, to be most effective, evidence shows that psychodynamic counselling in the short term needs to work to a mutually agreed focus.

One interesting aspect of short term psychodynamic counselling is that the ending is never far away, and endings can provoke very powerful feelings in us.  Working with our own ending can intensify your healing. 

open-ended counselling

Sometimes the nature of your therapeutic needs requires ongoing support.  Here, open-ended psychodynamic counselling may be beneficial.

In open-ended work there is more space and time to attend to whatever you may bring to therapy.  In addition to coaching and supportive counselling, open-ended , psychodynamic counselling may involve interpretation of feelings, exploring dreams or working with different types of silences.

If you have a need for ongoing support, or you wish to enable deeper healing for more entrenched patterns (for instance if you are a person who tends to be quite hard on yourself) then you may find longer term work helpful.